He had also a rage for giants, dwarfs, and Turks.

These last stood ever planted about him, turbaned and blazing with jewels.

His agents inveigled them from Istamboul with fair promises; but the moment he had got them, he baptized them by brute force in a large tub; and this done, let them squat with their faces towards Mecca, and invoke Mahound as much as they pleased, laughing in his sleeve at their simplicity in fancying they were still infidels.

He had lions in cages, and fleet leopards trained by Orientals to run down hares and deer.

In short, he relished all rarities, except the humdrum virtues.